New Legends: A Second Power
by Hunterspire
Summary: Centuries after the last Link, a new bearer of the Triforce of Courage was born. He is thrown into his destiney by an attack on Kokiri  his home  and now searches for his lost friends along the way. This in NO WAY involves timeline theories!
1. A Little Disheveled

**New Legends: A Second Power**

**I had unintentionally used the name Ruto for one of my own characters without realizing that there was already an LoZ character with that same name. It is too late to change it now; so please note that the original **_**Zora**_** Ruto is nowhere near this story – the Ruto in **_**this**_** story is a 15-year-old boy!**

Ch. 1

"Hey, that's not funny!" Haeda breathed as he rubbed his cheek. He snapped the branch that had slapped him across the face when he was racing his best friend, Ruto, through the forest.

Ruto reined his horse, Pellopa, laughing loudly the whole time. "You rode right into that branch just as you were saying that you were to beat me in a race! But instead, you fall off of Etota while I cross the finish line and circle back!"

Haeda stopped rubbing his throbbing cheek and quick remounted Etota. She was a beautiful chestnut-colored horse with a white lightning bolt on her right side. She lightly tossed her dark mane and whinnied. Haeda took note of this and looked around him. He felt like he was being watched. But in the Kokiri Forest? Probably just a squirrel that wanted to use his vast amount of fair hair for its nest. "Rematch back to the village?" He jeered quickly, spurring Etota. She sped off down the dirt trail.

Ruto called, "Hey!" and urged Pellopa after him. The two friends thundered down the trail, passing their friend Midaylia who had been picking berries. They blasted into the village but abruptly stopped when they saw the shop. It was roughed up and shelves were off-set, knocked over, or smashed to pieces.

Haeda and Ruto jumped off of Etota and Pellopa, who obediently trotted home to their stables as they were told. The shopkeeper, Grogan, was walking around with a sullen expression, checking to see what inventory was broken, repairable, or stolen. His hands were on his head, which in turn shook shamefully. "Who would do such a thing to my shop? And only for a few pieces of fruit?"

Haeda walked up to him and put a hand on Grogan's shoulder. "I'm sorry to say this, but I doubt that a person did this." He said, surprising himself. Then he remembered that presence in the forest. "I think it was there in the forest. Watching me." He added for no one in particular to hear.

Ruto was puzzled. "There was something watching us?" He shivered. "I hadn't even noticed."

Just then, Midaylia came hurrying toward them from the trail. "Father, what happened?" She cried.

Grogan turned to her and caught her in a hug as she reached him. "Something ruined my shop."

Midaylia looked up at him, her bright blue eyes full of sadness and worry. "Something?"

Haeda and Ruto helped them clean up the rest of the day, and even replaced the stolen fruit. Midaylia hugged them both as the sun started to sink and whispered, "Thank you."

Haeda felt warm and tingly. "You're welcome." He replied.

Ruto firmly hugged her back as she came to him. "I'll always be here to help." He lightly blushed, but the late afternoon sun made it invisible.

Ruto and Haeda strolled back to their tree houses. Haeda lived alone. His parents had mysteriously disappeared shortly after he was born. Ruto's family had raised him until he was old enough to live in his parent's home by himself. They called "Goodnight!" To each other and fell asleep comfortably.

Haeda shifted in his bed; pillow pulled tight over his ears. He was having a strange dream. Someone was screaming. He rolled onto his side, trying to get rid of the screams. His heartbeat became faster, and then he abruptly sat bolt upright, eyes wide open. The screaming wasn't in his dream, it was in the village! He jumped down the ladder that led up to his tree house; his crude but strong sword in hand. Ruto was standing there, also with a sword. He squinted as he tried to look through the crisp morning sun. Ruto shouted, "Haeda! Moblin!"

Haeda was hit by a wave of fear. The moblin jumped out of the underbrush and tackled him. Haeda fell into a roll, crushing the monster, and then sprung onto his feet. He swung at the moblin with his sword. The moblin ducked and tried to clobber Haeda with a club encrusted with spikes. Ruto jumped in and tried to gut it, but was kicked off of his feet. The moblin tried to hit Ruto in the face, but Haeda parried the blow just in time.

Just then, Grogan ran up to them with a pitch fork in hand. "No one and no _thing_ destroys my shop!" He cried, lunging forward. The moblin screeched and just barely dodged the attack. It broke into a run for the forest. "After it!" Grogan cried.

The three chased the moblin and simultaneously swiped at it with their weapons. It clumsily but effectively managed to keep away from them, and then came to a wall of thorns. It regretfully thrust its way through the sharp thorns, leaving Haeda, Ruto, and Grogan on the other side. "It got away." Grogan whispered. His lip was trembling with anger. He turned to the teens beside him. "That moblin is a bad sign, you hear? Bad things will happen. I can feel it." His voice was tinted by fear as well.


	2. Rising Storm

Ch. 2

The trio returned to the village, disappointed that they didn't catch the moblin. Haeda aimlessly looked about him as he pondered a thought. "What was it doing here?" He asked.

Ruto shrugged. "Who knows. Maybe it's one of those few stray creatures. I bet it just happened upon Kokiri."

Grogan snorted. "I doubt it was here by chance." He boomed.

As the shopkeeper said this, his daughter Midaylia came running up to him, long blonde braid flying along behind her. "Father, did you get it?" She asked eagerly, falling in step beside the boys.

Grogan shook his head. "Nope. It squeezed its way through the thorns."

"What? That's too bad."

_It really is._ Haeda found himself think.

The sun was starting to set and it threw golden beams across the forest. Tonight, Haeda was eating dinner with Ruto's family. Haeda was like a brother to Ruto. Haeda often melded right with Ruto's family. They were gulping down some delicious thick rabbit soup, and the two boys were excitedly rambling on about the moblin chase. "I was about this close to sticking it through!"

"Yeah, but I actually tripped him!"

"That doesn't count! Anyway, we were slowly gaining on him-"

"I actually made a small cut on it-"

"The moblin tripped-"

"Grogan took a mighty swing at its head-"

"You should have seen it! All the excitement-"

"We could've caught him if you hadn't slowed me down."

"What? You were cutting in front of me! _You_ were slowing _me_ down!"

Ruto's mom, Rota, shushed them heartily. "Alright boys, alright! I already heard the story when you first came home."

Ruto leaned forward – for Rota was opposite him at the wooden table – "But Mom, _we didn't catch it!_"

Haeda nodded as he finished his soup. "Yeah, he got through that thorny curtain before we could do anything!"

Rota's eyebrows rose. "I didn't hear that part." She said, a little quieter.

Ruto's father, Rotus, laughed. "They were too busy interrupting each other the _first_ time they tried to tell the story!"

When the family finished their supper, they all leaned back in their chairs in a peaceful quiet. Soon, Rotus scooted his chair back and sleepily declared, "I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

Ruto then followed the motion and headed for his room. "See you in the morning." He drearily repeated.

Rota stayed behind and looked day dreamy for a moment. Then she became alert and looked at Haeda. After a moment of hesitation, she quietly said, "Haeda, I want to talk to you about something."

Haeda sat upright and nodded. "Alright, what do you want to talk about?" He asked.

Surprisingly enough, Rota looked down the hallway and made sure that Ruto and Rotus weren't around. She then took Haeda by the wrist and led him up the natural wooden staircase up to a balcony that opened to the top of the tree her family lived in. "I've wanted to tell you this all your life, but I could never bring myself to say it. But, I feel as if I need to tell you now." She continued, nervously tucking a lock of wily curly red hair away. "This is about your past."

Haeda felt himself instinctively suck in his breath. He himself didn't know much about his past. He indicated that Rota could go on.

"You know that your parents disappeared shortly after your birth," She started. The boy nodded. "Well, I think I know the reason they disappeared."

Haeda leaned forward almost inaudibly as Rota hesitated to go on. "Yes?" he whispered hopefully.

"You have heard of the Legends of Zelda, correct?"

"Ever since I was a child."

"Yes. All about Link, Zelda, Ganon, and the Triforce…Well, your parents knew of your destiny," A breeze picked up and started tugging the leaves around them, "…They knew that you are…you are…You are destined to harbor the Triforce of Courage. You are to continue those Legends." She didn't look directly into Haeda's eyes. "And I think that dark forces knew that your parents knew this. So your parents left you here, to become invisible. But unfortunately, they were caught and…well, they haven't been seen or heard of since."

He stood there, dumbfounded, unable to let it all sink in. He seemed frozen. The breeze became a little harder and proceeded to make the leaves sing their rustling song. Finally, he managed a, "W-what?" He was about to stammer more, but was immediately cut off guard by the sudden gust of wind that had evolved from the warm breeze. Black clouds suddenly engulfed the stars and made the forest pitch black.

Rota's jaw dropped in fear. "Oh, no!" She cried.

Haeda grabbed the railing of the balcony. "What's going on?" He shouted through the wind.

Rota hurriedly pulled him back inside and back down stairs. "Ganon has returned! He is spreading his evil just as I have feared!" She cried.

Haeda looked at her, terror flooding his eyes. _And I am to fight this?_ "What?! That can't be!"

Just then, Ruto stumbled toward them from his room. The tree was shaking so much, that it was hard to keep balance. Rotus followed shortly after. Lightning split the sky, and the thunder reverberated through the air. Suddenly, a shrill shriek pierced the storm, and maniacal laughter sent chills down everyone's spines. "What's going on?" Ruto shouted as he peered out the door.

Everyone's face grew cold as they saw what was happening. Fire had erupted in the shop where a dark blast had hit it. Midaylia was screaming somewhere inside! Grogan was frantically trying to get to her, but beams of flaming wood kept him at bay. Black silhouettes pockmarked the sky, turning out to be keese and stalfos that had adapted skeletal wings. Kokiri was being attacked!


	3. Losing Everything

Ch. 3

Ruto ducked as a keese dove for his head. He swung his sword quick as lightning and lobbed it in half. He crazily swiped and jabbed perpetually at the cloud of keese that had surrounded him.

Meanwhile, Haeda was trying the best he could to keep a stalfos at bay. It lunged at his heart with a heavy sword. With his trusty sword, Haeda parried the attack and pushed the skeleton away. He rolled as a second stalfos almost hit him with a bone club, the bone thwacking the ground and snapping in half. Haeda then made a horizontal stroke from low on the muddied ground and chopped the 2nd enemy's legs off. It plopped to the ground and struggled to keep the boy away. It ended up with a sword through the eye. The 1st skeletal enemy charged at Haeda, who was still crouched on the ground. The boy jumped up and blocked the attack, pushing the stalfos backward. The skeleton stumbled and fell into a barrel. It sat there, helpless, with boney legs and arms dangling out the sides. It looked up at Haeda with hatred and fear in its eyeless sockets. Haeda quick chopped its head off and then went to protect the villagers.

Ruto heard the screams of Midaylia and fear overtook his heart. Grogan was frantically crying out, tears streaming down his face and melding with the now oncoming rain. The fire on his shop raged on. He rushed over to the burning building, and squeezed inside, careful not to burn himself. He heard the crackling of the fire and the falling beams. "Midaylia, where are you?" He shouted.

Midaylia looked up from where she was curled up. "Ruto? Ruto, is that you? Help me!" She answered. Ruto doggedly followed her voice and jumped backward as a wooden beam fell down in his path. The heat pricked his face, and the smoke made him cough. He quickly took another route, and heard Midaylia yelp as the shop deteriorated around her. Grogan was outside, just barely audible above the roar of the flames.

Ruto rounded a corner carefully, cutting down a flaming shelf to get to another room. He saw a glimpse of one of Midaylia's boots, where she was curled up and holding her knees. He rushed to her, stroking the rapidly evaporating tears from her cheeks. "It's okay, I'm here!" He cooed. "Now let's get out of here."

Midaylia clutched his shirt and stood up. She held close, looking at all of the fire around them. It was consuming the shop rapidly. Grogan was shouting something from outside. Ruto strained to hear his words. The shopkeeper was continuously repeating something urgently. When Ruto finally made out what he was saying, his eyes widened despite the smoke and he yelled, "Run, Midaylia, the shop's going to cave in!"

But instead, the teens jerked there heads up as mocking laughter bested even the storm and the fire's roar. Instead of caving in, the roof was sucked up into the air. Hundreds of stalfos and keese were hovering there, and they swept around the two. They screeched as they were lifted into the air.

Haeda paused instantaneously as he heard his best friends cry out. He turned and saw them being roughly lifted into the air from the building. Grogan was also caught up in the storm of enemies, struggling to reach his daughter's hand. "NO!" the boy shouted. The Kokiri were being either slain or taken captive. Haeda was about to run to his friends' aid, but someone grabbed his ankle. Ruto cried out as he saw his bleeding mother clutching Haeda weakly.

"Haeda…" She struggled to say. He crouched and held her up with his arms.

"Rota! No, no, this shouldn't be happening!"

The woman hushed him. "I must tell you more, Haeda!"

The boy growled as he killed an oncoming enemy, and struggled to keep his eyes on her and not all of the things going on around him. "There is more to your past…" Haeda took another death swing at a stalfos. Ruto struggled to get free despite the fact that he was now high above the ground in the middle of a storm. Midaylia and Grogan were desperately reaching for each other. Rota's breaths were becoming shorter. "You…" She caught her breath, and released it in one strong exclamation. "You are a descendant of Link!" Seeming to suddenly lose life, she slumped in Haeda's arms, gasping for breath. "Go, my boy…" She murmured. Her body loosened and she lay limp in the boy's arms.

Everything seemed to run in slow motion. The stalfos and the keese were retreating, paying almost no attention to him. The shop burned, sagging to the ground. The storm raged as a dull roar in his ears. All he had was being destroyed…

"No." He whispered, gently laying Rota down. "No…" His fists balled into fists. "NO!" He cried, taking a death-reeking swipe at a passing stalfos's skull. The vertebra violently snapped and the skeleton stopped in its tracks and tumbled to the ground.

One of the many stalfos ran close by, cackling madly, and clubbed Haeda in the head from behind. He let out a sharp cry and fell to the ground, falling into darkness…


	4. A Rough Start

Ch. 4

Haeda stumbled through a smoking, torched field. He couldn't see farther away than twenty feet. He was dimly aware that he was looking for something or someone. He looked around, completely lost. Mangled weaponry of battle was strewn about the field. _"Where am I?"_ He thought.

He whipped around as he heard a shrill cry. Someone was calling for help! Her voice was desperate and full of anguish. Haeda gritted his teeth and ran in her direction. He could make out a shape through the smoke. He rushed toward her, but just as he reached the silhouette, she vanished. He staggered to a stop, confused, and heard her cry again. He turned and saw her shape once again, over to his right. He ran to her, but she disappeared as before. Her cries were more desperate than ever, but Haeda could never reach her.

His eyes flew wide open. He quickly shut them as light stabbed them suddenly. The boy realized that it was crisp sunlight. His head was cloudy, and the back of his head was sore. The next thing Haeda became aware of was that he was lying in the dirt. He slowly lifted his head and rubbed the cheek that had been resting on the ground. Just at that moment, memories of that night flew into his brain. He sat bolt upright, but then recoiled and let loose a sharp cry as his head burst in pain. He held his head in his hands, letting the pain pass, and then gingerly touched the bump that was left by the stalfos's club.

The screams, the terror, the fire all came back to him. Tears of frustration and loss started to roll down his cheeks. The dream was completely forgotten as the lonely boy cried, hunched over in the middle of the ruined village. When the surge of emotion ebbed away, Haeda took his hands away from his eyes and caught sight of his sword. It was glaring in the morning light, sitting nearby. He stood up stiffly and picked it up. There was a soft scraping sound as the blade brushed against a beam of burned wood. It was one of the few pieces of the shop that was left. The boy stared at the pile of ashes that still gave off a wisp of smoke.

He looked up, startled, as he heard a sound behind him. He turned to see Etota and Pellopa trotting toward him briskly. Etota nuzzled Haeda's face, sadness but comfort shining in her beautiful brown eyes. Haeda stroked her neck. She pawed the ground eagerly. Haeda smiled and whispered, "You want to go too, don't you?"

Pellopa brayed defiantly, stamping a hoof down with a dull thud. Haeda's smile became less cheery and more of a sad smile. "I am sorry, but I am not the one to ride a horse such as you. The one who deserves to…isn't here." A stubborn whinny was what followed. "No, Pellopa." At her name, she settled down, but still looked at him with square in the eye.

Haeda walked Etota down the narrow forest path, which was really only used by deer and some other creatures. A rope had been loosely but securely tied around Pellopa's neck. The other end was firmly held in Haeda's hand. A scowl had crept over his face as they had traveled farther away from Kokiri. A voice floated through his mind. A voice he had known all too well. _Ganon has returned!..._ He shuddered as a breeze brushed his arm. _Go, my boy!... _The horses whinnied softly, tossing there mains nervously. Haeda patted them both comfortingly. "It's okay." He cooed, but there was a coldness that had seeped into his bones.

As the afternoon sun flung shafts of golden light onto the leaf-scattered ground, the boy and his horses approached the edge of the forest. Haeda stepped out onto the field beyond. The openness made him feel vulnerable and small. He took a step back, unsure of himself. But a flame had lit inside him. It burned with an intense heat as he remembered what had happened the night before. He angrily sifted through his hastily packed saddlebags, chewing half a loaf of bread when he found it. He carefully picked apples for the horses from the nearby trees and fed them.

The sky was a beautiful blue, with delightful puffy clouds racing across from horizon to horizon. It was a heavenly day, but Haeda did not enjoy it.

When he finished his quick meal, he walked over to Pellopa, who was happily grazing. He touched her neck, and she looked up. Her eyes were shining. She knew what the boy was going to do. He patted her, and slowly slipped the rope off of her neck. She willingly but regretfully lowered her head so he could take it off. When her head rose, she nosed him with her muzzle. Haeda wrapped his arms around her neck, burying his head into her mane. "Good by, Pellopa." He whispered.

He rapidly trudged over to Etota, mounted her, and hastily spurred her to go. She only trotted slowly away, head turned all the while with a gaze fixed on Pellopa. Pellopa whinnied and started to follow. Haeda turned, tears in his eyes, and shouted, "No! You are free; there is no master to hold you by the reign! Go!" He spurred Etota once again, who regretfully went a little faster. Pellopa once again started to follow. Haeda yelled at her again, angrily wiping a tear away. "Go now, Pellopa! Be free! BE FREE!" He made Etota charge away, up and over a gentle sloping hill. Ruto's beloved horse disappeared from sight, still crying out to her friends, who were leaving her behind.


	5. Savior

Ch. 5

Haeda urged Etota through the day until the sun finally sat low in the sky. The forest had disappeared long before, and the weary boy had come to a field. He could not quite make out his surroundings in the dim evening light, but heard the clattering of hooves approaching. And by the sound of it, a caravan was coming his way. Haeda had Etota stop. All he could think about right now was food and sleep. He hadn't packed nearly enough food for two days; since he had no idea how much he would eat on a journey. His belly rumbled impatiently.

But as the caravan got closer, Haeda felt more and more like he should get out of site. He shook his head several times, trying to get rid of the feeling. _"Why am I panicking?"_ He asked himself. _"Because danger approaches."_

Haeda couldn't stand resisting any longer and slid off of Etota silently. He urged her toward a scant patch of trees; one of the few that were around. He ducked behind a bush and unsheathed his sword. The caravan was almost upon them. He heard gruff shouts. "Let's get a move on!" A figure yelled at the driver, who grumbled. "Ganon doesn't like waiting, and you know what he'll do if he gets upset!" A sickening chill shot through Haeda's stomach. His muscles tensed as scenes of the village flashed through his mind.

The driver turned to the first figure, which was walking beside the cart. "I don't care what you say," He replied in a high, whiny voice, "I'll just go at me own pace." Plainly, the two were always bickering.

There were figures walking alongside the caravan, making a full circle around it. As they passed by, Haeda's eyes widened. They were all moblins.

One of the monsters was idly sitting on the small ledge at the back of the cart. There was a persistent clinking of metal from within. The moblin banged on the door and growled, "Be quiet, will you? Or you won't even live to see the mighty Ganon himself!" The clinking abruptly stopped, followed by a muffled cry of despair.

Haeda's pointed ears perked as he heard. _"I know that sound from somewhere. Someone needs my help, and so I'll deliver it."_

He leaped out of the bushes with a battle cry, slashing the nearest moblin in the throat. It fell to the ground with a frightening gurgling sound. The moblin on the ledge jumped off and landed on Haeda's back, attempting to club him in the head. "No, not again!" The boy cried. He ran up to the caravan and slammed into it back-first, crushing the monster underneath him. It yelped and sprawled on the ground. It ended up with a sword through the chest. Just then, two other moblins attacked from opposite sides. Haeda quick ducked, and the two monsters ended up head-butting each other. They landed on the ground, dazed, and never lived to get back up.

Haeda turned to the caravan, where two moblins remained, but found that it was well up the road. He quickly called for Etota and mounted her in one smooth motion. Cries of panic emanated from inside the caravan as it sped away. Haeda spurred Etota, and they soon caught up to it. The boy had his horse ride up to the side of the first moblin, who appeared caught by surprise at first, but then whirled a crude sword in a horizontal slice. Haeda leaned as far away as he could, but the moblin's sword tasted flesh. The boy cried out in pain and parried another attack. The two were evenly matched, but Haeda was faster. He knocked his opponent's weapon from his hand and stabbed him through the heart.

He jumped onto the driver's seat, and stood with his blade pointed at the terrified driver's throat. "Stop!"

The moblin snickered and pulled on the reigns as hard as he could. The horses stopped in their tracks, throwing Haeda off of the caravan and landing roughly in the dirt. The moblin cackled and ran off into the night, escaping death with a laugh. Haeda cursed under his breath as he stood up. His knee felt banged up, and the wound in his side was bleeding. He stumbled over to the back of the caravan, and climbed up to the door.

Iron bars were set into the window, and elegant white-gloved hands were wrapped around them. Chains clinked together as someone attempted to stand a little taller to see who approached. Haeda mumbled, "Stand back, I'm going to get you out." He struck the lock with his blade, sending sparks flying. He did this again and again, until his arms grew too heavy. Etota stood nearby, watching intently. Instead of trying the lock, Haeda thrust the sword into the tiny crack between the door and the frame. He slowly turned, using his sword as a crowbar. The door snapped off of its hinges with a metallic _clang_ and fell to the road.

Inside stood a beautiful girl, just about fifteen years of age. She smiled gratefully at Haeda. Without a word, He cut the chains from her wrists. "There." He said, satisfied, but then his grievous side-wound took affect. He paled and swayed where he stood. The girl cried out as he fell to the ground, unconscious.


	6. Some Bad News

Ch. 6

Haeda was drifting in a dark haze, his whole body felt heavy as lead. Something from the outside world was soothing him, calming him, and there was that dream. He found himself on that ravaged battlefield again. The silhouette of the girl was no longer panicking. She was standing, back turned, gazing into the distance. Then it seemed that she was aware of him, and she turned. As she faced him, the shadow faded away, giving her color. She was beautiful. She had long fair hair that hung to her waist, and bright blue eyes. She wore an elegant pink dress and her forearms and hands were covered in delicate gloves. A golden circlet sat on her brow. It was Princess Zelda!

Haeda's eyes flew wide open, and he sat bolt upright. He winced and held back tears as his side protested intensely against the movement. When he opened his eyes, he blinked into focus. It was morning, and the sunlight was cheerily slanting down to the ground. Etota was nearby, grazing, and intently watching him all the while. The princess was kneeling next to him, blue magic only just fading away from her palms. She smiled and stifled a laugh. "Good, you're awake." She said, standing up.

Haeda followed her with his eyes. "So I ended up saving the princess! How?..."

The princess's face grew solemn. "The castle was attacked last night."

Haeda's gaze quickly fell to the ground. "Oh." Was all he said.

Zelda continued. "Ganon had his forces lay siege upon Hyrule Castle suddenly, accompanied by a sudden storm. No one was prepared for an attack; all grew dark in an instant, and the next thing we knew, fire and blood was upon us." She stroked Etota's neck as the horse wondered close.

"Father told me to take a secret passageway into the night, but I was easily tracked down by a squadron of hunters." Her voice started to quaver, "They dragged me away, and as I was being thrown into the caravan, I saw my father fall in battle…" Her words turned into choked sobs, which in turn became a stream of tears. She sank to her knees and covered her face, shoulders shaking. Haeda immediately started trying to console her, cradling her and comforting until it ebbed away. She stopped with a few sniffles and wiped away a few persistent tears.

The escaped moblin cackled as he ran from the scene, seeing how ridiculous Haeda had looked when he was thrown off the cart. The monster traveled non-stop to Hyrule Castle, where Ganon's banners flew in the place of the burned Hylian flags. The moblin sobered up just as he walked into the throne room. "My Lord, I bring news to you." It stated, performing a steep bow.

Ganon, dark and evil upon the beautifully sculpted Hylian throne, leaned forward. "What is it, Craag?" He asked, impatience tainting his voice.

Craag gulped, suddenly aware of his master's bad mood and his bad news. He hesitated, then replied, "Well, you see, when we were carrying the princess off to the-"

"Yes, yes, spit it out or I'll stomp your face in with my boot!"

"Um, well, a boy ambushed us, and, well…"

Assuming the answer, Ganon's face twisted into a scowl. "This _boy_ got away with the princess?!" He growled, standing up in a flurry of his cape.

Craag cringed and whimpered, nodding feebly. "Yes, my Lord-" his words became a desperate cry as Ganon thrust his fist forward, sending a wall of energy toward the moblin. It shrieked as it was thrown against the wall. Craag's lifeless body slid down to the stone floor.

Ganon punched and arm of the throne, making a crater of splintered wood and tattered fabric. "GRRII!" He bellowed, making the stone walls shake.

An unidentifiable monster lumbered into the room and bowed. He was four feet tall and covered in matted black fur. He looked like a pile of fur, but sharp claws just barely stuck out from underneath, making him possibly a bird?... "Yes, master?" He inquired in a chilling, quavering voice.

Ganon walked toward him, saying, "Hold charge here. I'm going out on a little business trip." He snarled. As the evil Gerudo finished his sentence, he dissipated into a black mist, just avoiding running into Grrii.

The furry creature nodded, despite the departure of his master, and sat on the throne. He leaned to his right, on the unbroken arm of the throne, and bellowed, "Servant! Bring me some grapes!..."

Haeda checked the supplies in Etota's saddlebags. He cursed as he saw that there was not much food, especially since there were two travelers now. "Well, at least we can rummage through that cart." He said, already carrying back some fruit.

Zelda looked around, unsure what to do. "Where are we going?" she finally asked.

Haeda looked at her, dumbfounded, but then a realization – almost like a driving instinct – told him where. "The Temple of Time."


	7. A Surprise Visit

Ch. 7

Zelda nodded, agreeing. "Yes, that makes more sense than going anywhere else, I suppose." She replied ponderously.

Haeda slapped himself in the forehead when a dawning realization came upon him. "I don't mean to insult you, Etota, but you're not quite big enough to carry two people at once with the baggage. Since one of us would have to walk, it'd take us too long to get anywhere!

But just as if to answer his tirade, a crystal note sang through the air. It was the sweet whinny of a horse! Princess Zelda and Haeda turned to see Pellopa on the ridge behind them, pawing the open air. She eagerly galloped down to them. Etota became ecstatic and the old friends embraced each other warmly. "Pellopa! You were following us this whole time?" The boy asked, relieved to see she was safe. "I should have known." A painful memory of Ruto flashed through his mind as he caressed Pellopa's neck.

Zelda laughed happily, a beautiful sound in the air. She jumped onto Pellopa, holding her reigns tentatively. "Well, aren't we going?" She asked quaintly as her mount pawed the ground.

Haeda quick mounted Etota. "Of course! But, we just need to figure out where we're going-"

"That way, silly!" the princess exclaimed, pointing to the horizon. With that, Etota and Pellopa broke into a gallop toward their goal. The morning was turning into afternoon, and the sunbeams started to slant and turn to oranges and reds. The rolling field had disappeared behind them a few hours before, and now patches of trees and brush almost the size of woods were appearing.

After a quick but refreshing supper, the travelers agreed to travel partially into the night to get to the temple faster. The dirt road became narrower and even thinned to nothing. The only clue Haeda and Zelda had was the rest of the road off a few hundred yards away. Once they even made a circle and wasted a whole half hour trying to find the road, which had been under their noses the whole time! The only thing that had kept it from view was a low ridge and a few boulders.

As the two cantered back onto the path, they groaned in frustration and embarrassment. Haeda felt the blood rush to his face when he realized that if he had just stood in his stirrups, he would have seen the path long ago. Luckily, the night hid his burning face. "C'mon, let's keep going!" He called to Zelda, but was almost knocked off of Etota's back as she rose to her hindlegs, neighing wildly. A dark aura had surged and swirled out of the ground in front of him, and a figure appeared as it wavered away. "Get away from here, _now_! Get to the temple!" Haeda yelled back to Zelda as he jumped off of Etota; sword in hand.

A despairing gasp escaped her as she turned Pellopa and raced off, before anything could be done to her. She was making a wide arc around to avoid trouble. _Haeda, get through this!_ She pleaded in her head. What hope was there if he didn't? Sure, he was a kid, but what of the Legends of Old?

"Oh, so you are headed for the temple? Too bad, I'm going to kill you here and now. Too bad the princess got away, though. I'll just get her later." The dark figure spat, his features given away by the moonlight. It was unmistakably Ganon.

Haeda fell into a defensive stance, glaring at the man. "You'll pay for what you have done." He muttered in a low, threatening voice.

Ganon nearly smirked, malice swirling in his eyes. "No, I believe you'll pay for screwing with my plans. I've made mistakes in the past; I don't think I'll repeat those same mistakes now." And with that, he threw a punch at Haeda's face. Dark magic popped and sizzled around his fist as it headed for its target. Haeda dodged the attack, only to find that it had been a feint. He ended up being kicked hard in the gut by a big leather boot. He sprawled to the ground, coughing uncontrollably. Ganon clucked his tongue, not able to believe how easy this was. He trapped the boy under his boot, pinning Haeda to the ground.

The boy pointed his sword at Ganon's chest. The two were frozen into position, seeing who would make the next move. A breeze rustled Ganon's cape and it seemed that he divided some of his attention to it. But why? Haeda seized the split-second opportunity and thrust his sword forward. Dismay flooded his face as the blade merely glanced off Ganon's dark chest plate and clattered to the ground.

Ganon laughed at the attempt and pushed down harder. "So, little boy, which temple have you sent the beloved princess to? Forest temple, Water temple, hm?" The evil man assumed the answer already, but waited to see if the boy would lie nevertheless. Then, there would be opportunity to torture. Ganon smiled at that.

Haeda struggled under the boot. "You think I'd tell you?" He spat, resulting in a tighter press. It was getting hard to breathe, and it felt like his ribs were being bent. He gritted his teeth.

Ganon seemed to still be worried about the slight breeze, and then asked, "For your behavior, I think you need to be punished!" He growled, sending a shock of magic into Haeda's body.

It felt like the tips of his fingers were slowly burning off. His veins felt like they were going to pop. _So this is what death feels like. I will die here, and for what? Ganon will surely find Zelda. What has Hyrule come to?_

"Tell me where Zelda is!" The Gerudo yelled, pressing ever harder and releasing stronger magic. "Tell me!"

Haeda screamed and yelled in pain, but gave no answer. Ganon was satisfied. He knew he could easily locate the princess, and he'd had his fun with this kid. His hand balled into a fist, rising above his head for a death strike. Dark magic sizzled and sparked around it. Then with unbelievable power, Ganon brought his fist down with a roar. But just before the strike was delivered, a blinding blue magic surrounded Haeda. It charged outward, sending Ganon flying backward. Just as he landed on a rock, he dissipated to a dark smoke, retreating for now…

Haeda was lying there, not bothering to move. He was confused. Where had that magic come from? Just then, Zelda guiltily stepped out from behind a clump of bushes, leading Pellopa and Etota, who had quickly located them. "I told you to get to the temple!" Haeda gasped. He felt ridiculous on the ground, so he slowly stood up. His skin was still prickling from that strange magic that made him feel like he was struck by lightning. He shakily remounted Etota. "We should get there as soon as possible." He went on, but Zelda touched a hand to his arm.

"No, we need to rest. What if we confront Ganon once more? We would not be as strong."

Haeda considered this, and nodded. "Let's just find somewhere else to set up camp. I'm starving!"


	8. The Temple of Time

Ch. 8

Etota and Pellopa held a steady pace toward the Temple of Time. The morning was crisp and chilly. Not many birds sang in the trees; the underbrush did not rustle with animals. "Hyrule is falling ill." Zelda whispered sadly, looking around anxiously. She was being extra wary; they had confronted a group of moblins not too long ago. Fortunately, all were killed so they could not report back to Ganon.

Haeda didn't bother looking up; he had been staring at the back of Etota's neck. He felt weighed down by something. _It's the evil pouring into the land._ He thought sourly. Just then, Etota's hoof clacked on stone. He looked ahead, and saw that there was more crumbling stone. It surrounded a massive, beautiful building carved from the same material. They had reached the temple!

Zelda smiled, but her face quickly turned to horror. "There's a black stallion tethered to a pillar!" she gasped in a hushed tone, bringing Pellopa to a halt.

Haeda immediately had Etota stop in her tracks. Sure enough, there it was. A massive black horse was pawing at the stone and tossing its mane. Its eyes were completely red; there was neither iris nor pupil. "Ganon's here!"

They jumped off of their mounts and dashed inside. The hall was empty and silent; but the door to the sacred inner chamber was blasted open by dark magic. "How dare he stain these stones?" Zelda murmured.

They stared at the defiled door as they ran past, but as soon as they were inside the inner chamber they stopped short in there tracks, horrified. Ganon was just stepping up to the Master Sword's pedestal to pull it out and claim it as his own.

Haeda cried out in anger and pulled out his bow. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and released it in one fluid motion. The arrow whizzed through the air and embedded itself in Ganon's armor-clad shoulder. The evil man simply reached for the arrow and pulled it out, laughing at the futile attempt to disable him.

He turned to the teens in the doorway, pulling out his terrible sword. "Yes, that hurt so much. Allow me to return the favor." He growled.

At that, Haeda fired another arrow into Ganon's chest. Seeing that arrows wouldn't do much good, he quickly put them away and unsheathed his sword – just barely fast enough to block his opponent's charging attack. With each stroke Ganon made, Haeda struggled to hold him back. He leaned forward and tried to push Ganon away, but that only resulted in his feet slowly sliding backward. Just then, Zelda fired a ball of sizzling magic from the side, parting the two and distracting Ganon for a moment. Haeda tried to dig deep into the man's abdomen, but Ganon merely jumped back. At the same time, he made a swiping movement at Zelda with his open palm. An unseen force sent her flying to the side, causing her to crash into a wall. She slumped unconscious to the cool floor.

When Ganon's smug smirk was fixed upon her for a few fleeting moments, Haeda tried to attack him again, screaming. His sword reached its mark, but only glanced off of Ganon's protected armor. There was, however, a hair-thin scratch left on the breastplate. Haeda received a kick in the ribs and was sent sprawling to the floor. He painfully tried to breath, but the oxygen wouldn't come to his lungs.

Ganon laughed at the piteous pair and turned, placing both of his massive hands around the hilt of the Master Sword. He growled as he tried to pull it out, but the sword would not let him. Instead, a strange blast of dark aura threw him backward, knocking over a pillar. It crumbled to shards around him as he fell to the floor, temporarily dazed.

Haeda couldn't believe the darkness that had flashed from the sword. He finally regained his breath, and scrambled to get up. He was thrown off balance as a threatening rumble shook the temple. A sickening realization came to the boy. Ganon had been knocked through a support pillar! The Temple of Time was collapsing! He saw with horror that a huge crack had snaked across the high ceiling from the last shake. There was a rumble and a sharp crack as a large slab of stone broke off and fell crashing to the floor. Shattered fragments flew everywhere and Haeda had to shield his eyes.

He made a mad dash to the Master Sword's pedestal. A light seemed to gleam about it. The boy was temporarily transfixed, but was brought back to reality by another bone-rattling shake. He could hear boulders and slabs falling everywhere in the temple now. He didn't have any more time! He planted both hands on the hilt, and pulled! The sword came out with a blinding flash of light, and everything seemed to run in slow motion for a few moments. Debris was slowly falling to the floor. The rumbling became a slow drone in the strange phenomena, and light poured from the sword and the empty pedestal. It was mesmerizing. Then suddenly, all returned to normal speed and another crack snaked down one wall. A beautiful pillar crumbled and toppled down. Haeda gasped as a baldric materialized on his person, and he quickly sheathed the Sword in it.

He dashed over to Zelda, for a rock had fallen dangerously close to her. He lifted her up and ran as fast as he could out of the temple. He could barely keep from being smashed by falling stone and debris. A tear slid down his cheek as he thought about that beautiful building. _All that beautiful architecture – something that has lasted for centuries – is falling to the ground in dust. The Temple of Time is gone! _He tumbled onto the ridge surrounding the temple and got down on his knees to lay Zelda down.

She woke up with a start in his arms as a deafening rumble announced the temple's death. She cried in shock and loss as the intricate stone became rubble, forever lost to the ages. Haeda carefully sat her down in the grass and tried to comfort her, and the two huddled there for a few minutes. When tears were finally wiped away and sniffles gradually disappeared, Zelda finally whispered, "He's gone. Ganon was in the temple when it fell. He's gone isn't he?" She asked almost desperately, staring at the rubble. Nothing moved except for the settling cloud of dust and dirt.

Haeda followed her gaze. "I don't know," He said after a pause. They both watched, eyes wide and alert, waiting for Ganon to spring up and attack. Nothing happened. The only sound was Ganon's black horse, which had torn itself free of the tether and was dashing madly away into the distance, out of site.


	9. Triforce of Courage

Ch. 9

Haeda and Zelda's eyes eventually left the ruined temple. When there focus was broadened to there surroundings, they noticed that the sun was setting. Warm golden beams slanted across the earth in a final effort to light it up. "How can it be sunset already?" Haeda asked, looking toward the sun with shaded eyes.

Zelda answered, standing up, "The Temple of _Time_ works in mysterious ways."

Haeda nodded in agreement and stood up himself.

The sun seemed to hover for a moment, seeming to say farewell till sunrise, and then disappeared behind the foothills. The day was suddenly plunged into evening, but a light still lingered so that surroundings could still be easily seen.

"He's gone, isn't he?" Zelda repeated.

Haeda frowned. _She is trying to believe that this was all over, that it is only a bad dream or that all will be peaceful again._

"You know Ganon's not dead." A voice said softly to the boy from behind.

Haeda was about to turn to find the source of the voice, when he felt an odd sensation. He felt like he was being pulled into another place, another world. He briefly saw himself next to Zelda, but his surroundings immediately changed to an inky blackness. He was standing on nothing, but yet he _was _standing on something.

His breath caught in his throat as a woman appeared in a brief flash of light. She was tall and beautiful. Her body was framed by an elegant green dress that flowed in an invisible breeze. Her laughing amber eyes gazed at him with authority but kindness as well. A gold circlet with an emerald set in it sat on her brow. Haeda immediately fell to his knees and finally gained enough senses to gasp, "Lady Farore!"

She kneeled down and touched a finger to his chin, turning his face to hers. "You know why I am here, do you not?" She asked. Her voice was soft as down feathers but strong as an oak tree.

Haeda stood up and nodded. "I just don't quite now how I'll do this." He replied.

Farore smiled assuringly. "If you did not have the qualities of power, wisdom, and courage that one would need to complete such a quest, you would not be here." As she spoke, she brought her open palms forward as if she was holding something out to him. A bright light appeared wavering above her palms. Within that orb of light was a golden triangle: the Triforce of Courage. "It is yours to bear. Do you accept your fate, Haeda?" She asked, gazing first at the sacred jewel and then directly into Haeda's sparkling eyes.

A tear of disbelief managed to run down his cheek. But his voice was strong and level. "Yes." As he said that single word, he heard a dozen voices almost identical to his echo him.

Farore smiled. "And so it has been your answer for hundreds of years." Without hesitation, she brought the Triforce closer and closer to Haeda. Then she faced her palms toward his chest, and pressed her hands to his heart. The Triforce melded into his body, and a hot surge of energy traveled through him. At first it felt like he was on fire, but then the heat subsided to a warm glow. Farore smiled, and all at once she and the black world vanished.

Haeda wobbled where he stood and blinked his eyes. His eyes felt like they were burning and he screwed them tightly shut. "Oh, thank the goddesses that you are okay! What happened?" A voice asked frantically.

After a moment's confusion, Haeda realized that Zelda was talking to him. He slowly opened his eyes. "W-what?"

Zelda huffed. "What do you mean, 'what?' All the sudden, you seemed to just freeze! You were staring into the distance and you wouldn't respond!" Her face had gone red, but it quickly receded and her expression became more worried again.

Haeda was looking at her, utterly confused, but realized what had happened. He had been pulled from his body when Farore had come to him, and so 'he' was left motionless!

He was about to explain it all when the princess gasped and stared at something. Her mouth dropped open and a hand flew to it. "Haeda…look!" She pointed with a gloved finger to his left hand.

Haeda followed her finger and sucked in his breath. On the back of his hand, the sign of the Triforce was shining golden and strong in the evening light. They marveled the sign for a few moments in total silence.

The silence was interrupted by a barely audible scrape of stone against stone, and then there was a scream of terror. "Zelda!" But before he knew what was happening, Haeda felt a pain on his forehead, and fell into a darkness blacker than the evening.


	10. Old Friend of an Ancestor

Ch. 10

Horrible visions of Ganon torturing Zelda slid through Haeda's mind in a constant stream. He tried to reach her, but as much as he ran he couldn't get any closer. Ganon was looking at him, a disgusting smirk spread across his face. There was a demonic look to him – and it wasn't because he was evil. It was like something about him was changing…

Zelda's screams reached their peak and then ceased.

_No!..._

But then her voice came to him. It relieved him so much. _Haeda…Haeda, I'm trapped!_

Haeda instinctively shrank away from the mental contact, but let hers brush against his again. _…Zelda? Zelda! Are you okay?_

There was a short pause. _…For now, I guess._

_Where are you?_

_I, well, I don't really know._

_Describe your surroundings, then. Is there a window you can look through?_

He seemed to feel her movements vaguely; sensing that she was standing up. She walked over to another point in whatever room she was in and leaned forward. She sucked in her breath.

_I'm in the air!_

_What?! How are you—_

Zelda gasped, and her conscience started to slip away.

Haeda reached for her again. _Zelda! Zelda, what's going on?_

There was no reply.

The boy jumped up, looking around wildly. It was morning and everything was glistening with dew. The ruined Temple of Time was nearby. Haeda cursed at the stone laying at his feet, presuming it was what hit him in the head. Then he realized something was running down his face, and found that there was a cut on his forehead. He kicked the stone hard and it flew and tumbled through the air. It clacked across the rest of its brethren and laid to rest in the pile.

Haeda cleaned his cut and covered it in some cloth. He found Etota and Pellopa grazing by the temple, waiting for his return. As Haeda swung into Etota's saddle, he started to ponder his surprise conversation with Zelda. "In the air?" He idly asked, fumbling with the reins. "What could that possibly mean?"

A breeze rustled the leaves of nearby trees, striking up a quiet chorus. The air in front of Etota seemed to ripple, and something nearly invisible appeared. It looked like an elderly woman, glowing a soft white. The white of a ghost!

Etota neighed and stepped backward, tossing her mane. Haeda quieted her and tried to focus on the translucent woman.

She bowed slowly, causing wisps of ghostly aura to trail into the air. "Greetings, Haeda." She said voice ancient and cracked. "I am an old friend of an ancestor, come to you."

Haeda's expression became puzzled. _Old friend of an ancestor?_

"Why are you here?" He replied, bowing his head in return.

The ghost shifted, making more wisps appear. "I have come to help you, child. I know how you can reach Zelda."

Haeda jumped forward. "What? I can still get to her? But how do we even know she is still alive?" He blurted.

The ghost hushed him. "An ancient beast of the sky – the Teota Bird - is the only possible way to get to the Floating Castle in which Zelda is imprisoned."

_So she is in a castle. In the air! _"Teota Bird? I thought that thing was only legend-"

The ghost gave him a wizened look, and Haeda looked downward, blushing.

"Oh, yeah…That's right…"

The ghost floated closer to him and continued. "Teota only comes to you if you recite his Summons. To find that, you must climb a blustery mountain. Be careful of the ice and snow; you can fall to your death if you slip in the wrong places." She turned to the north, toward the mountains. "You shall find this blustery mountain due north. It is blanketed in snow – you should easily be able to distinguish it from all the other mountains. Keep to the mountain path!"

Haeda gazed at the mountains, blurry on the horizon. He seemed to already feel the cold of its snow and ice in his stomach. "Do you think I can do this?" He asked the ghost.

She laughed. "Of course I do! You are probably the only being in Hyrule that the Teota Bird would even accept-"

"It has to accept me to help me?!" Haeda exasperatingly bursted. "How will it even help?"

The ghost shushed him and explained. "Yes, Teota only helps those he thinks are worthy and deserving of it. But I know he will. Never doubt that! When you do find his scroll and call his summons, he will come. And he will fly you to the Floating Castle, cloaked in a storm only he can navigate."


	11. The Mountain Path

Ch. 11

Haeda grimaced and pulled at his furred hood. The ghost had given him some furs to wear for the cold. Sadly enough, Etota and Pellopa could not traverse such a place. He had to leave them at the base of the mountain to wait for his return. Haeda looked back down the rocky, snowy path from which he had come. He had been traveling for hours and felt completely naked without the two horses by his side. A blustery wind was also constantly driving cold air into his face; making it harder to breath.

Haeda looked hopelessly up at a rock face. The visible path ended abruptly here, and reappeared at the top. He cursed under his breath and searched for a foot or hand hold. He found some that looked suitable and hefted himself up the rock face. Wind immediately pinned him to the cold stone and he struggled to reach for another hold. Haeda yelped as his foot slipped and he slid back down to where he started; a wave of snow following him down. He got up after a moment and shook the snow off.

_Be careful of the ice and snow; you can fall to your death if you slip in the wrong places._

And with death freshly ringing in his mind; memories of the past days flooded his head. Haeda tried to push them away and concentrate climbing up the rock face, but was interrupted by a rough tackle. He screamed and threw the assailant off; unsheathing his sword. The enemy sprawled in the slippery snow and got up, wielding a wicket club slicked with melted ice. Haeda couldn't tell what the creature was since it was covered in cloth from head to toe. He attacked nevertheless; blocking the gruesome club and jabbing at the opponent's abdomen. He smiled as he heard bone crack, and the enemy fell to the snow with a bleeding side. It yelped as its fall caused it to start tumbling down an icy slope; voice echoing for a moment before it abruptly stopped.

Haeda stepped carefully up to the edge where his enemy fell; gazing downward. There was no sign of it. _…What was that? _He wondered, turning to his obstacle.

It took him thirty minutes at the least to finally make his way up the rock face (with a few trips back down to the bottom) and he huffed on the ground, exhausted. But that was not the end of it all. There were still a good number of faces to climb and paths to traverse. And the sky was graying under a huge snow cloud. Almost immediately, heavy snowfall fell down on him, and Haeda struggled to look at what else he still had to travel. Wind tore at him once more; but it seemed to be coming from all directions.

After a moment's confusion; Haeda saw something – the gleam of an eye. Then he realized there were four _things_ surrounding him on the circling spires and cliffs. Over the wind there was a conjoined laugh from all of them. They each crept closer; making the circle tighter. Haeda brought out the Blade of Evil's Bane once again, turning to face each one. He soon found that these _things_ were the sources of the confused winds; their icy blue palms sticking out of draping gray robes. Under tall gray hats; white eyes gleamed on a shady black silhouette. They crept closer, making the wind all the stronger. Haeda struggled to move; finding that the winds were pressing against each other – almost like a rope tied around his body. He looked at the one he was currently facing. "What do you want?" He shouted over the storm.

They all laughed; a chilling, snaking sound filling the air. "We wish for you to die." The one to his right stated.

"Yessss, our master bids it so." The one behind him added with a laugh.

"And so, you shall freeze here. And when others come to find you, all they'll find is a blue corpse; wasting away in the cold and the ice."

Haeda tried to twist around; the wind protesting strongly against his force. He managed to turn to the one on his left; whom hadn't spoken. The creature smiled wickedly with a huge toothy grin. He drew a dagger of ice that was as sharp as any sword. He lunged at Haeda; who was still virtually unable to move. The boy struggled to bring his sword up for a parry; only just making it in time. The blue creature hissed and pressed down on Haeda. The boy pushed him away as far as he could; when the ghost's words came to him once again:

_Be careful of the ice and snow; you can fall to your death if you slip in the wrong places._

He grinned mischievously and allowed the winds to spin him around. He dropped to his knees and extended one leg as he spun; sweeping the feet out from underneath his assailant. When the creature was down; he kicked it. The blue _thing_ skidded across a hidden sheet of ice and proceeded down a chute. His muffled screams traveled down a good portion of the mountain and ceased. The other three creatures were looking at the spot where their brother had disappeared. Haeda spotted another deadly slide and kicked a second _thing_ toward it. The creature stumbled and almost regained its balance; but at the last second it slipped on the slick rock and fell to its death.

There being only two winds pushing against him; Haeda could move much more freely. He scrambled to his feet and charged at the third enemy; whom foolishly tried to summon a stronger wind to keep him back. Haeda only swerved to the right briefly; stabbing the robed being from the side. It collapsed; leaving the fourth all alone. It hissed.

"You have killed my brothers! For decades we have lived here; praying upon those who search for the Summons. Take that woman, for example," The _thing_ pointed to a half-snow covered corpse with a bony blue finger, "She did not expect us to come on storm, oh no…she was quickly done with. But _you_…You are a pest!" It flung an icy ball covered in spikes hurling toward Haeda's face. He ducked and faltered on the snow for a moment; then charged forward. The robed creature sent a wave of ice at him and managed to hit the boy's right hand. It immediately froze in a block of ice and became useless. Haeda gasped but kept running forward; bringing the Master Sword down in a vertical slash.

The winds ceased and the snow stopped pelting him. But a gray cloud still hung over head; brushing the peak of the mountain.


	12. The Peak

3

Ch. 12

Haeda stood still for a moment, looking at the peak. His breath was puffs of smoke on the air; and he realized how cold he was just standing there. With a determined look on his face; he continued up the hazardous mountain path; watching for the dangerous ice sheets that could lead him to a cold death among the rocks. He saw several different spherical shapes in the snow and shivered at the thought of numerous skulls watching him from underneath.

A few hours later; Haeda found himself on a shelf of rock just below the peak. His limbs were tired; but he didn't want to stop now. He mumbled because of the numerous moblins and other beings Ganon must have sent to keep him from getting to the scroll. But the four robed creatures – what he now called Wizzrobes – still troubled him. They weren't the sort of creatures that would be under Ganon's rule…they weren't his sort. Were they just creatures who only cared about keeping the Summons to themselves? _But no,_ Haeda thought, _They _did_ mention the word 'master.' Who would they listen to when they live in such a place; severed from easy contact?_

He shook the thoughts off as he neared the peak. The temperature seemed to plummet a whole ten degrees more as Haeda came up a ridge. He found himself at the very top of the snowy mountain. Cloud surrounded him and the peak; blotting out the beautiful view of Hyrule he could have had from there. There was a shallow bowl that made up the peak; which was surrounded by a jagged cliff face. To Haeda's surprise, a line of stunted trees grew on top of the rocky ridge surrounding the small basin. In the center of the basin was a lone stone pillar that stood three feet tall. There was a power flowing from it, and the boy's heartbeat quickened. _The Summoning Scroll is here!_ He ran up to the pedestal; a victorious smile on his face. The smile quickly faded as he realized there was nothing there. He tried to find any writing at all on all three sides of the small pillar; but there was not a word to be seen. He scraped the snow off of the top; but there was nothing there, either. Only a nearly faded Triforce symbol that had been etched onto it long ago was visible.

There was a clatter of noise to his back left and he whipped around; expecting attack. He stood frozen to the spot; but there was no more noise. Nothing happened. Haeda slowly relaxed his muscles and returned to his confused search for the Summons. He was about to try to feel the sides for grooves when he heard another sound from his right. He again turned to face attack, but found nothing there. Utterly frustrated, Haeda kept scanning the area for enemies. All he saw was snow and rock. But then he heard a small, steady, clicking sound from directly behind him. He froze in his scan and slowly turned around.

Bones – thousands of bones – they were gathering in a great mound and seaming together. The clinking he heard was vertebra and bone clacking together to form a huge, hulking skeleton. It had massive hooked claws and thousands of sharp teeth in a long jawbone. A ribcage and a spine arched into the air, and a long spiky tail snaked into existence. The formation took up nearly the peak's entire basin. Haeda was staring at a skeletal dragon.

He was frozen to the spot in fear, and the undead beast roared. It shook the rocks and the stunted trees; snow showered down from every cliff. Haeda regained enough senses to roll to the side as a huge claw came raking down upon the stone he was just standing on. The dragon spun in a circle; its tail acting as a mace. It whipped toward Haeda and he put his sword up. The bone wrapped around the blade; and the boy yanked as hard as he could. A sharp crack came from it and a good section of tail snapped off of the skeleton. The dragon screeched and turned. Unexpectantly; a roaring voice entered Haeda's mind.

_Why are you here? _It boomed loudly as the dragon snarled.

Haeda stood his ground and pointed the Master Sword at the skull. "To find the Summoning Scroll!" He shouted.

The dragon reared up; threatening to lunge at him. _And why would you want such a relic, human?_ It growled; showing its jagged teeth even more than before.

"Because Hyrule needs it. I need to get to the Floating Castle, or-"

_You suspected you could just climb to this mountain's peak and claim the Summons?_ The dragon retorted.

Haeda looked into its socket-less eyes. "Well, I didn't expect a skeletal dragon." He spat.

Short repetitive grunts erupted from the dragon's empty stomach; apparently laughter. _You expected to find the Teota Bird, yes?_

The boy nodded. "Yes."

The dragon's aggressive appearance disappeared as it settled down in the snow. _You have proven your Courage by standing your ground. You have proven your Power by snapping my tail,_ He wriggled it for emphasis, _and you have proven your Wisdom by persuading me to trust you. Not many come this far and prove themselves worthy to summon me. Not many are like you, Haeda._

As the skeletal dragon finished its speech; it fell apart into a mound of bone. Haeda looked around, bewildered, and snapped his head up as he heard a mighty cry from above. A sleek, graceful, beautiful bird swooped down into the basin in a gust of its massive wings. It was even bigger than the dragon – Haeda was only just bigger than its head alone! _The Summons,_ The Teota Bird said, _Is here, yes. Look back to the pedestal._ It suggested, swinging its head to the small pillar.

Haeda followed the bird's giant red gaze. There was an ancient yellowed scroll resting atop the pedestal; tied closed with a blue ribbon. Haeda took it up gingerly and unrolled the parchment.

_From the troubled skies above_

_Teota Bird come_

_For we are in need of your power_

_Make the skies untroubled_

_Teota Bird come_

_For we are in need of your power_

_Teota Bird, please come!_

It wasn't exactly catchy in Haeda's eyes, but the words were filled with importance and magic. He idly read it to himself before he pocketed the Summons. When he turned to the hulking bird, it bent its neck and let its wings down invitingly. _Come, I accept your Summons, Haeda._ It told him. Haeda jumped onto the Teota Bird's neck and clutched the feathers in front of him. He was in a perfect sitting position; in a little dip between the bird's wings and neck. _Come, let us be swift!_ Without hesitation; the giant bird launched into the sky. It screeched mightily as they flew into the gray clouds.


	13. Mistaken

Ch. 13

Haeda leaned close to the giant bird's body. Water from the clouds collected on the furs he was wearing; slowly seeping down to his skin. The water on Teota, however, beaded and rolled right off as if it were repelled. They ducked down from the midst of the giant cloud; which was snaking all the way across the horizon. All of Hyrule seemed to be covered in it's shadow. As Haeda and the Teota Bird came down the slope of the mountain, they spotted Etota and Pellopa waiting at the base where the mountain path began. They looked up to the giant beast overhead and neighed. Haeda waved back to them. "I'll be back, I promise!" He shouted to them; doubting that they would hear.

Land raced by below the great bird's wings as he flew with all due speed toward their destination. _Lucky for you, I know where this castle lies. It also must be the source of this lingering cloud cover. I do not like the possibilities of storm. It is a very bad sign._ The Teota Bird said as he gained a bit of altitude.

Despite himself, Haeda was having the time of his life on the back of the great bird. Who else ever got to soar through the skies upon a beautiful bird of legend? He held on solely with his heels and held his arms in the air. He cried out with joy as the wind blew across his face and tossed his hair. The Teota Bird chuckled. _Are you enjoying your ride? You may want to hold on – we are approaching the heart of the storm._

Haeda nodded and resumed holding onto the neck feathers of the beast. Ahead was a massive formation of clouds. Lightning arched through its recesses and the two could hear the thunder. A buffeting wind soon met them and tried to roll them over. Haeda was practically holding on for his life, and rain started to pour down. Teota seemed to navigate through the confusing wind currents and rain bands; revolving around the cloud in an inward spiral. The storm became fiercer, and one of the furs was ripped off of Haeda. He clung ever tighter to the Teota Bird and it gave him a reassuring squawk. It dove and wove through the clouds, dodging lightning with agility and skill.

Suddenly, the storm just _stopped._ They were in the eye of the storm – and in the clear air was a castle; drifting over Hyrule like an ominous black stone. Haeda's muscles loosened and he let loose a relieved sigh. The Teota bird furtively glided down to the closest terrace and set itself down in a whoosh of air. _I have brought you thus far, Haeda._ The bird said; bowing so that the boy could get off.

Haeda slid to the ground from his perch and stroked the elegant bird's neck. "Thank you, Teota. How would I have gotten here without you?"

_You wouldn't._ The bird answered; a gleam in its eye.

Haeda smiled. And just as quickly as they had landed; the bird of legend took off in a buffeting gale of wind. In seconds it disappeared back into the wall of clouds surrounding the castle. When it's blue body was gone, Haeda immediately made himself unseen and ducked down. He had no idea where he was going, so he started off by creeping to the much un-needed front set of doors. They were locked with gigantic beams of wood and chain; providing him no entrance. Haeda quickly looked around him and resorted to the nearby windows. He found a hefty stone on the lone block of rock the whole castle floated on and threw it into a pane. It shattered immediately and he climbed through. The boy found himself looking down at an entrance hall as he stood on the sill. He jumped down to the floor and flinched as he wondered how many enemies would report to the suspicious crash of the window.

There were figures in position all around the room. Haeda unsheathed his sword; expecting them to all run and attack him. They didn't come. Face puzzled; Haeda crept toward one of them. It was a moblin wearing a jaunty helmet. He got within three feet of it and cautiously prodded it with the Master Sword. It merely fell over and its helmet clattered to the floor. Haeda shrank back as he saw that the moblin's eyes were rolled back into its head. The boy frantically scanned the room and realized all of the guards were slumped against the wall. They had been discretely stabbed in the back and put back in position. _But who would – _But Haeda could not finish his thought. Immediately, strange creatures jumped down from the ceiling and held him down. He screamed and tried to thrash his way out, but was overtaken by the countless number of enemies. They clattered and clawed at him, restraining him. Haeda was brought to his knees with his hands held firmly behind him.

A wind erupted and seemed to center around a fixed point in the room. Just a few feet in front of Haeda; a figure formed in the vortex of winds. As the gusts subsided; his long gray hair settled down around his face; covering one eye. The other was a bright, blood red; and had a mark underneath it. He was surrounded by a dark purple-gray cape with a tunic of similar color. His face was full of mockery. "Welcome to my castle, Haeda." He purred.

Haeda looked up at the man. "W-who are you? I thought Ganon was here!" He shouted.

The man took a step forward and replied, "I am Vaati, the Wind Sorcerer. You are mistaken about Ganon; he is here. In the deepest dungeons."


	14. Worries

3

Ch. 14

Haeda adjusted his position to the stone wall he was sitting against. Crude metal cuffs were wrapped around his wrists; which were connected to chains bolted to the wall. They weren't long enough to really do anything else but sit with the chained person's hands half suspended in the air. He moaned as he saw that there was no window or niche he could possibly climb out of. The only light sources were from tiny holes in the outer wall and the barred window in the thick wooden cell door. All of his weapons had been taken away, and immediate escape seemed impossible. A cold draft was blowing in from outside; as if a storm was overhead.

A few hours ago; Haeda had found something out. Puzzle pieces had slid together as soon as Vaati had introduced himself as the Wind Sorcerer. The storm that accompanied the attack on Kokiri, the breeze that had divided Ganon's attention, the storm on the mountain that accompanied the Wizzrobes – and the mention of the Wizzrobes' master – and all of the other subtle breezes and clouds along the way – they were all signs. Signs that Vaati had been watching, waiting for his overthrow of Ganon; and Haeda had not recognized it. He was still mentally hitting himself for not seeing that something would happen.

And Haeda couldn't try to talk to Zelda, either. They were purposefully separated by at least three hundred feet of cell and stone. His chains clinked as he moved again; trying to keep warm. The cold stone was seeping into him and biting the warmth away. He did a double take when someone called his name.

_Haeda!_

He stood up and looked out the barred window of his door. No one was there. Confusion swept his face and he sat back down.

_Haeda!_ The voice called again; a little louder.

The boy realized with burning cheeks that someone was in his mind. _Zelda?_ He had completely forgotten that she could communicate with her mind. _Are you okay? Where's Ganon? Who's this Vaati?_ He blurted out uncontrollably.

She chuckled. _I'm okay, just a little cold. _She shivered. _Ganon was overtaken by Vaati yesterday. He's in a special cell that repels magic. Ganon hasn't even been able to get out yet!_

Haeda grimaced. _Vaati must be a powerful being._

Zelda seemed to nod her head. _Yes, he sure is. Vaati is definitely a Sorcerer of Winds. He can control any breath of it anywhere in Hyrule! And the storms he can produce… I'm afraid of what will happen to Hyrule. Ganon and Vaati will probably struggle for power over this land; reeking even more destruction than just one would make alone! _

Haeda tried to calm her growing fear. _It's okay,_ he said,_ We can defeat them. The first order of business is getting out of this dungeon._

_That won't be too easy…_

The conversation was interrupted by a thunderous _clang_ that rung in both Hylians' ears. The noise was followed by a series of screams and shouts; which were answered by more loud bangs and crashes. Almost immediately, all was silent again.

_Do you know what happened?_ Zelda asked; since Haeda was closer to the scene than she was.

He did his best to look out the cell door. But if he turned his head, the window wasn't big enough to give him a view of the corridor in either direction. He froze as a low, heavy footstep echoed down the hall. And then another. And then another after that. Someone with big bulky boots was steadily making their way toward Haeda and Zelda's cells. Haeda struggled further to get a view of the corridor; but could only see anything directly in front of his cell's door. He quickly stepped back as the footfalls were about to reach his door. A shadow blocked the light from the hall as someone stood in front of the window. Haeda stared at the silhouette like a trapped animal.

Zelda had been standing at her cell door; listening; and stopped breathing when the foot steps stopped. There was a momentary, terrifying silence; and then there was a snap of wood and iron. There was a loud crash similar to the one only a few moments ago; and then a warning cry. "What do _you_ want?" It was Haeda's voice; accompanied by metal clinking.

There was a snort. "Nothing, really, boy." Someone retorted. "I merely wanted to ask you something." There was an odd metallic sound – it took a moment for Zelda to realize that it was the sound of ripping metal.


	15. Escape

3

Ch. 15

Zelda panicked and shook the bars of her cell-door's window. "Don't you dare hurt him! If you do I'll kill you!" She yelled along with the din of her rattling.

"Zelda, hold on!" Someone answered.

She stopped the noise. "What?"

"I'm okay." Haeda appeared on the other side of the door. "Ganon-"

"Ganon is here?" Zelda cried.

Haeda sighed. "Just stop for a second! He tore his chains out of the wall with sheer strength and broke out of his cell. Then he ripped my handcuffs off." He explained; raising his wrists and turning them so she could see. "Now we just need to get you out."

Zelda back up a step. "How did Ganon get out if his magic was suppressed?"

"I didn't use magic. I used the strength of my own body!" The Gerudo snapped as he approached the door. "Now please step to the side." He growled.

Confused but happy to get out; the princess obeyed and stepped to the side of the door.

On the other side of the wall; Haeda kept a close eye on Ganon. He may be freeing the two, but what if it was just a ploy to lead them into his trap? He didn't exactly know what he'd do, either, since all of his weapons were locked in a storage room somewhere.

Ganon, meanwhile, rubbed his hands together and grinned. He grabbed the door by a window bar and yanked backward. It snapped off of its hinges and was cast down the hallway by the massive man. Then Ganon stepped into the cell. Zelda instinctively took a step back; but let the man tear the metal handcuffs off as if they were paper.

She wrung her wrists; grateful that they were free. "Thank you, Ganon, but why are you helping us?" she inquired.

The Gerudo walked back into the hallway and growled. "Did you not know that Vaati has taken over _my fortress?_" He boomed. "I want him gone; and I want you two to help me get rid of him!" He added; turning to Haeda.

The boy looked up at him. The Gerudo was at least two or three heads taller than him. "You're saying you want to team up with _us_? I thought you wanted us dead." He answered bravely.

Zelda winced as she imagined what would happen to Haeda. _Don't give him any ideas, you dolt!_ She exclaimed mentally.

Ganon shifted his gaze to her, a look of interest on his face. "So, you've been communicating telepathically?" He asked smugly. _That is…skillful of you._ He projected snidely. Seeing that both teens were gazing at him curiously; he laughed. "Did you assume that you were the only ones who could do that?"

Zelda scowled. "We may as well get a move on and find Vaati." She stated blankly.

Hearing that, Haeda remembered what she said earlier:

"_Vaati is definitely a Sorcerer of Winds. He can control any breath of it anywhere in Hyrule! And the storms he can produce… I'm afraid of what will happen to Hyrule. Ganon and Vaati will probably struggle for power over this land; reeking even more destruction than just one would make alone!_"

He shivered, and said, "Yeah, we should go." He turned to the other end of the corridor where the only passage to anywhere else was. He dashed toward it, and a red flag went up in his mind. _Something is wrong…I feel like I'm leaving something behind…_He shook the thought off.

Zelda immediately followed suit, and Ganon steadily took the rear. The corridor was long than it let on; and it seemed to take forever to get to it. Haeda was about to storm up the staircase when Ganon put a massive hand on his shoulder. "Don't you want your precious sword?" He asked; pointing to a shadowy corner. There was a narrow door there. "That is where all the captives' things go," He explained, "If you want to have something to fight with other than your piteous fists; I suggest you go there first."

A wave of suspicion washed over Haeda, but after a moment's hesitation; he opened the door. Inside was an armory -- or at least a supply of oblong items that would be enough to make up an armory. He immediately spotted the Master Sword in its sheath. His bow and quiver had been dismissively cast beside the blade. Zelda cautiously followed him and found a blade to her liking. It was lightweight and ornate; with a golden hilt and an emerald set into the pommel. The hand guard was made of intertwining vines of golden metal. The sheath was silver with a bit of a shimmer to it. She blinked a tear away as she noted that this was her father's sword.


	16. At the Top of South Tower

3

Ch. 16

"Hurry up!" Ganon called irritably from the corridor. He tapped a large boot and crossed his arms. "We're just sitting here. We could be found."

Haeda nodded to Zelda and they both scurried out. "Where are we going?" Haeda asked the Gerudo.

Ganon looked down on him. "As far as I know, Vaati is on the tallest point of the castle. That would be the South Tower." He answered.

Haeda nodded and started running up the awaiting staircase. Zelda quickly ran after him. Ganon looked back down the hall of the dungeon for a moment before he followed the two teens.

The boy found himself inside the entrance hall when he reached the top of the staircase. The one he just climbed faced the doors of the floating castle. All of the decoy guards had been taken out. The place was empty. Despite this, Haeda looked around cautiously and listened intently for any giveaway noises. There were none. Wasting no more time, he motioned Zelda to come up with him. Ganon was just reaching them. "Where do we head from here?" Zelda asked.

Ganon turned to his left. "We have to climb further. See how the sky has darkened outside? Vaati is conjuring a storm." The Gerudo started quickly up another flight of stairs. Haeda grabbed Zelda by the wrist and went up himself. As they climbed higher, the sky outside the windows steadily grew darker. A strange aura was emanating from their destination. Ganon growled low in his throat as he got closer and closer to Vaati.

The trio abruptly came to a landing in full-run and stopped. A ladder led from the landing's floor to a door in the stone ceiling. "We are here." Ganon said eagerly. He jumped up and rammed the door open. He landed on the stone above.

Haeda looked up for a second. "What do you think will happen?" He asked.

Before Zelda could answer, he had also disappeared up through the trap door. She sighed and clutched the hilt of her new sword. And then she followed.

When she hoisted herself up and onto her feet, Zelda stood and took in the situation. Ganon and Haeda had planted their feet; both glaring at the same point. The princess followed the trails their eyes made. They lead to Vaati, who was looking back at them. His blood red eyes were bright in the dim light. A pointed smile had been spread across the wind sorcerer's face. "Welcome to the South Tower." He hissed.

Ganon took a step forward. "I don't need an introduction to _my own tower_." He spat. Zelda didn't know where in the world Ganon brought it from, but his giant sword had been clutched in his hand.

Vaati just looked blankly at Ganon. "If I recall, this isn't your tower. It's the Wind Sorcerers'. Which means it's _mine._" He retorted. "Do you think you could maintain control over a castle under the Wind's command?" He asked snidely. The castle seemed to plummet a few feet. Haeda and Zelda yelped as they momentarily lifted off of the stone and then landed gruffly as the castle stopped. "With simple thought, I can control this castle's actions. This castle is mine." Vaati declared.

There was a moment of dangerous quiet. Ganon was standing tensely. His arms were trembling and his face started to heat up. Haeda and Zelda were close together; staring at Vaati. The wind sorcerer stared Ganon in the eye with a gleam of triumph in his one visible eye. His fists were clenched; one foot a step forward. The thick cloud around them seemed to swell a little, and a flash of lightning lit up in it's depths. The stare down lived for a few more moments, and cold sweat was forming on Ganon's forehead.

Vaati laughed and turned to Haeda. "You believe you can kill me on my own territory? I dare you to. You don't have much time." The gray-skinned man warned; letting the castle drop a few more feet.

Haeda floundered on the stone as he was tossed back into the air. As soon as he regained his feet he rushed at Vaati with the Master Sword. Vaati laughed as his ploy worked. He held his hand out, and a gale of wind blew the boy backward. "You and your friends shall die here!" He yelled.

Haeda scrambled back to his feet. He made a glance that was barely audible toward Ganon; who surprisingly was still standing still. _He's not my friend._ Haeda thought darkly. He was about to glare at the Gerudo longer, but a jolt from the castle below him made him turn his attention back to Vaati.

"Convenient," the Sorcerer of Winds started, "That the three Triforce Bearers are all here." He turned to face the open air beyond the tower. He rose his hands to the air and held them there for a moment. The storm surrounding the castle seemed to react to his action and became fiercer than ever. It started to snake and spread across the sky; casting a growing shadow across Hyrule. Vaati then turned back to the trio. His visible eye narrowed to a slit and the dangerous smile was still playing across his face. "_You and your friends shall die here._" He repeated. The castle rumbled again, and then it started to sink from the sky. The wind sorcerer took a last look at their faces. Zelda's was full of fear and her eyes were wide and shining. Haeda's expression was a mixture of disbelief and horror. Ganon was still glaring at him angrily. A muscle in his jaw was spasming fiercely, but he had still made no move to attack him. Vaati raised a hand in sarcastic salute. "Farewell." He jeered. The sorcerer disappeared in a gale of dark wind.


	17. Rush and Rescue

Ch. 17

As soon as Vaati was gone, something seemed to disappear from the castle. Nothing happened for a moment, but then the castle started sinking from the sky. Haeda's eyes widened and he ran to the wall. He looked over the edge. The ground was getting closer and closer. He turned back to Zelda. "We have to get off of this thing!" He cried.

She hastily nodded and climbed back down the ladder. When she was gone, Haeda shifted his gaze to Ganon. The man was looking at the stone beneath him; utterly frustrated. After a moment more, Haeda went down the ladder himself. Ganon then looked down for himself. He began to watch Hyrule come closer and closer…

Haeda caught up with Zelda halfway down the staircase. "How are we going to get out? We're in the sky!" He asked her.

She turned to him momentarily. "I'm not sure…but we should be able to figure out a way." She responded.

Haeda groaned in despair and went faster. His thoughts were racing through his head, along with what Vaati said: _You and your friends shall die here._

Then it struck him.

"Zelda, we have to get back down to the dungeon!" He exclaimed.

The Princess barely had any time to look back at him when he sprinted past her. "Wait!" She stuttered; running as fast as she could to keep up.

When she reached the entrance hall, Haeda was already descending the flight of steps to the dungeons. He slid across the floor when he got to the bottom and rounded the corner into the corridor. He regained his footing crazily and sped forward. A bewildered Zelda scrambled after him. "Where are we going?!" she gasped.

Haeda didn't answer. He was looking into each cell rapidly; as if he were desperately searching for something. "Help me look!" He finally answered.

Zelda was puzzled, but she did so anyway. "What are we looking fo—"

She was interrupted by a cry of triumph. Haeda had come to a stop in front of a cell. He immediately cut through the lock with the Master Sword and flung to door open. He rushed inside without hesitation and was talking rapidly to someone.

Zelda huffed irritably at the neglection and ran up to the cell he just infiltrated. She was about to shout at him, but her mouth stopped in its tracks. Inside the cell was a boy that looked much like Haeda. The tips of his blonde hair were dyed orange instead of green; and he had a brown vest with a loose off-white shirt underneath. He wore brown pants and had deep blue eyes. "Ruto!" Haeda repeated endlessly; carefully cutting the cuffs off of the other boy's wrists. He tore the cloth off of his mouth and immediately Ruto embraced Haeda. "Ruto, I can't believe you've been here this whole time!"

The other boy smiled. "If I wasn't gagged, I would've shouted at you. Your hair is too thick to receive any noise anyway." He joked. After a second his face grew more serious. "We need to get Midaylia out too."

At that Haeda sucked in his breath and stepped back out of the cell. "Let's go!"

Zelda merely stepped out of the way; index finger still half-risen for her forgotten rant.

There immediately was another shout of triumph as the two boys located Midaylia's cell. They knocked down the door quickly and rushed inside. The girl looked up from where she was sitting. Her eyes were shining. Haeda and Ruto worked together to cut her handcuffs. One came off easily, but the other one didn't even show any signs of relenting. All the Master Sword could do was make small scratches in the metal. "We don't have enough time! Just cut a link!" Zelda cried from the doorway. Haeda did so without hesitation. "Now let's go!" The Princess called.

The four rushed back upstairs. Haeda jumped to a window. There was not much more air between them and the ground. There was only one solution to this problem. The boy leaned out the window and immediately felt the rush of the air on his face.

"_From the troubled skies above_

_Teota Bird come_

_For we are in need of your power_

_Make the skies untroubled_

_Teota Bird come_

_For we are in need of your power_

_Teota Bird, please come!_"

There was a loud screech from the sky and the mighty bird swooped down from the clouds. Its wings were pulled tight to its body in a steep dive. _I am here for you, Haeda!_ It called. The bird cut through the air like a knife and flew underneath the falling castle. As soon as it was under; it spread its wings. A cushion of air blew up against the castle's underside. It jolted as its speed was cut down. The Teota bird screeched again as it pulled back up into the sky. It spiraled around the castle and came up to the window which Haeda was leaning out of. Zelda, Ruto, and Midaylia rushed to the window to see the spectacle. _Come, the castle is safe._ The bird said. It was then that the four teens realized the castle had landed softly on solid ground. But the dark cloud was still spreading farther and farther across the sky.


	18. Troubles in the Storm

Ch. 18

Ruto and Midaylia immediately jumped out of the window and climbed to the ground. They stared up in awe at the legendary bird before them. Zelda started down herself, but turned back when she realized Haeda wasn't following. He wasn't even there. A puzzled look swept over the princess's face and she went down to the others. "Did you guys see where Haeda went?" She asked them hurriedly.

Ruto looked back to her and then to the window. "Um…no…wasn't he there a second ago?"

Midaylia was rubbing the stubborn cuff on her wrist and gazing at the Teota bird in interest. "Teota says he might know."

Before the princess and the boy could turn back around, the giant bird had lifted into the sky. It flew up to the tower that Ganon had been on when Vaati had caused the castle to fall. The bird circled around the top a few times, and then came to hover for a moment. Then it flew back down to the ground. Haeda was perched at the base of the bird's neck; an odd mixture of irritation and horror on his face. Before the bird even touched ground, he vaulted off and ran up to his friends. "Ganon's gone!"

Zelda nearly fainted. "What?!"

Haeda growled. "I went back up to the tower to see if he was still there. He wasn't!"

Ruto kicked a nearby stone. "Figures. He probably ran away as soon as the castle stopped falling."

Midaylia shivered. "Couldn't he have just you know, _poofed_ himself away?"

Haeda looked at her and scratched his chin. "…You're right. He must have never wanted to leave the castle. Yet."

Ruto looked up at the huge fortress suspiciously. "But why?"

Zelda shook her head. "Who knows? We might want to get out of sight, then."

The Teota bird, silent until know, shifted its wings and projected its voice: _I could not carry all four of you. I must fly back to my mountain. More of those dreaded Wizzrobes could appear. I am sorry, but you will have to travel on foot. Or,_ the bird swung it's massive head to the north, _You could mount your steeds. They've finally made it here._

Sure enough, the persistent Etota and Pellopa were trotting toward the group eagerly. Pellopa practically squealed when she spotted Ruto. They boy automatically smiled and ran up to his beloved horse. "Pellopa! You've been with Etota this whole time?!" He looked to Haeda as if he would have the answer.

He laughed and stroked Etota. "Pellopa stuck to me and Etota no matter what. Unfortunately, I had to leave them at Teota's mountain."

Receiving puzzled looks from all three teens now, Haeda dove into the explanation of his short adventure between Zelda's kidnapping and Ruto and Midaylia's rescue. "That explains it." Ruto cooed; patting his horse on the neck. Pellopa seemed to almost sigh contently.

The Teota bird looked down at them and made a slight nod. _Farewell, Haeda and friends. May we meet again._ It spread its huge wings and took to the sky; buffeting the teens below him with a gust of wind. They all watched the elegant bird fly farther and farther away, back to its ancient home…

When Teota was out of sight, Haeda sighed. "Do you realize how dark it's gotten?" He asked.

The other three looked up and suddenly realized it was true. The sky was almost black because of the spreading cloud. There was no patch of blue or even sunlight at all. All was deathly silent. It was like Hyrule was holding its breath.

And then it exhaled.

A strong wind suddenly sprung to life. It tore at the forest nearby, and tried to rip the grass out of the ground. The gale howled thunderously; attempting to knock the teens and their horses over.

Zelda shrieked and clung to Haeda tightly as the wind tugged at her dress. He planted both feet firmly on the ground and clutched Etota's reigns before the spooked horse ran off. She looked down at Haeda and stood close to him then. When she stood firm again, Haeda curled his arm around the horse's neck. He heard someone shouting over the wind repeatedly, and he turned his face to the wind. Midaylia was blindly flailing wildly and Ruto was holding her by the waist; struggling to keep a hold on her. "Midaylia! _Midaylia!_ Calm down – what's wrong with you?!"

She seemed to only struggle more when she heard Ruto's voice. She was trying desperately to free herself. Midaylia screamed relentlessly and strange emblems on her skin appeared out of nowhere. They glowed eerily and their light fluctuated; as if two forces inside the girl were battling. The emblems and different lines and shapes covered the whole of her skin. Midaylia's struggling suddenly stopped and she slumped to the ground as the wind still howled. Rain started to pour down upon them as she fell to her hands and knees.

Ruto was staring at her in fear; and he touched a hand to her back. "Midaylia, what's going on?!" he shouted through the storm.

She turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were lit with the same glow as the strange emblems. Her expression was that for killing and blood. It was horrible to look at. Her breaths were heavy and ragged; as if a beast inside of her had won an exhausting struggle with her own mind. In a flash, Midaylia had unsheathed a hidden dagger. Mocking laughter snaked through the torrent of the storm. Clearly, someone's plans were coming to life.


	19. Cover

Ch. 19

"Ganon must have put a spell over that hand cuff! He's controlling Midaylia!" Zelda screamed.

"Ruto, get away from her!" Haeda shouted urgently. He needed to get him out of danger. The boy was about to run when Zelda grabbed his arm.

"No," she said gravely, "You shouldn't put yourself in danger, either. The less injuries the better." Haeda was about to protest sharply, but he saw the look in Zelda's eyes. She was deeply concerned for the safety of all of her new friends. She wouldn't bear it if both Haeda and Ruto got hurt. And Midaylia, she was too vulnerable despite how dangerous she could be. Now was not the right time to be stupid.

Ruto was holding Midaylia's wrist fast with both hands; keeping the dagger away from him. She pressed forward, pushing harder against his force, until both of their arms were trembling with effort. Seeing that this tactic wasn't working well at all; Ruto spun around so that he ended up behind Midaylia. Their contact broke; and the possessed girl had to turn around to face him again. She turned to find that Ruto had already drawn his own dagger. "Midaylia, stop what you're doing. Do you realize that—"

She didn't let him finish. She rushed forward; aiming to bring her dagger up and into her own friend's chest. Ruto sidestepped only in time enough to keep his skin. He ended up with a tear through both his vest and shirt. With regret reflecting in his also grim expression; the boy grabbed Midaylia's braid as she passed him. She was jerked backward painfully, and a scream escaped her throat. Ruto wrapped his arm around her neck and hit her hard on the head with the pommel of his dagger. She was instantly knocked out. Ruto stood still for a moment, and then relaxed his tense muscles. He eased the unconscious Midaylia to the ground with him and rested her head on his leg. The storm was still relentlessly throwing rain and wind to the earth; making it clammy and slippery.

As soon as the struggle stopped, Haeda dashed over to Ruto's side. "Do you think she'll be okay?" He asked anxiously.

Ruto looked up to him solemnly. "We have to get this cuff off of her wrist. It's how Ganon's channeling his power into her, right?"

Zelda nodded slowly as she led Etota and Pellopa over to the boys. "Yeah, that's why it couldn't be cut. He wanted to make sure that thing stayed where it needed to be."

They were all quiet for a moment.

"…Where are we going?" Haeda asked awkwardly.

There was another brief pause. The only sound was the persistent rain and the howling wind.

"Hyrule Castle."

"What?"

Ruto looked up to Haeda. "Hyrule Castle."

"Why?"

"The rest of the village is in it's dungeons. That's why."

Zelda was puzzled. "Why were you and Midaylia kept in the Floating Castle, then?"

The boy shrugged. "…I guess he thinks there's something different about us. Something he wanted to keep away from them."

The princess's face creased in deep thought. "…Something different…hm…"

Haeda had crossed his arms. "No point in staying out in the open. Why don't we take cover under those trees? We could at least dry a little." As if to emphasize his point, a bolt of lightning illuminated everything for a split second before it's thundering counterpart boomed in their ears. The horses shifted on their hooves nervously and shook the rain from their manes.

"…Yeah. Some cover would be nice."


End file.
